![The distribution of the cash assistance to the affected rice retailers in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, at Bacolod City Government Center on September 20. [Merlinda Pedrosa file photo]](https://gumlet.assettype.com/sunstar%2Fimport%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2F2023%2F09%2F28%2F467639.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max)
At least 40 more rice retailers in Bacolod City will receive P15,000 in cash assistance from the national government on Thursday, September 28, who were affected by the implementation of the rice price ceilings, City Administrator Pacifico Maghari III said on Wednesday, September 27.
Maghari said the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has asked the city government to host the third batch of the distribution of cash assistance to the affected rice retailers in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City.
He said the DTI will be accompanied by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the distribution of cash assistance at the Bacolod Arts, Youth, and Sports (Bays) Center.
Maghari noted that in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, at least 180 rice retailers will receive the cash aid.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier signed Executive Order No. 39, which imposes a price ceiling of P41 per kilogram for regular milled rice and P45 per kilogram for well-milled rice, on September 5.
On September 18 and 20, at least 41 rice retailers in Bacolod City received P15,000 in cash assistance.
Permits and Licensing and Division records showed that Bacolod City has a total of 157 rice retailers.
Maghari disclosed that the beneficiaries were validated by the DTI to avail the cash aid.*
